Matthew Monstar wrote:Sucks to be you bro.... "Looking at Jordan Staal".

I don't blame Staal one bit. He wanted to get paid and be the top line guy and that wouldn't happen here. Sometimes you love a job but hit your ceiling and have to change jobs.

Sometimes you have to recognize your "ceiling" may actually be higher on the third line, away from the defensive focus of the opposition, than it will as the center of attention on line 1 or 2 of another team. I completely believe he will never have as good a situation to shine as he did here, "slumming on the third line", as it were.

Maybe, but we'd never know his ceiling if he stayed in Pittsburgh behind 87 and 71. He's in his prime and wanted to be the man. I can't really fault him for wanting a chance to be the man. The Pens got a Cup and several great years out of him at a relatively cheap cost.

Given the frequency of injuries to 87 and 71, I disagree, he'd have had plenty of opportunity to carry the load. But I do understand what you are saying. Still, he signed for the exact same money he was offered here, I find it hard to believe he couldn't see he would be in a better position here if the Stanley Cup continues to be your goal. There's plenty of time in the offseason to spend with your brothers...

Matthew Monstar wrote:Sucks to be you bro.... "Looking at Jordan Staal".

I don't blame Staal one bit. He wanted to get paid and be the top line guy and that wouldn't happen here. Sometimes you love a job but hit your ceiling and have to change jobs.

Sometimes you have to recognize your "ceiling" may actually be higher on the third line, away from the defensive focus of the opposition, than it will as the center of attention on line 1 or 2 of another team. I completely believe he will never have as good a situation to shine as he did here, "slumming on the third line", as it were.

Maybe, but we'd never know his ceiling if he stayed in Pittsburgh behind 87 and 71. He's in his prime and wanted to be the man. I can't really fault him for wanting a chance to be the man. The Pens got a Cup and several great years out of him at a relatively cheap cost.

Given the frequency of injuries to 87 and 71, I disagree, he'd have had plenty of opportunity to carry the load. But I do understand what you are saying. Still, he signed for the exact same money he was offered here, I find it hard to believe he couldn't see he would be in a better position here if the Stanley Cup continues to be your goal. There's plenty of time in the offseason to spend with your brothers...

No doubt staying would have been a better hockey decision, however MOM said "you boys need to be on the same team. I will not have you hit each other"

In some ways, I feel about the Pens the same way I felt about the 2012 US men's basketball team. They weren't a great defensive team, but they could outscore anyone by a wide margin. They don't have to be great defensively. They just have to be good enough.